LJN

The LJN WWF line was the first major figure brand in the US. In July 1984, WWF and LJN signed a licensing agreement for the production of wrestling figures. Each basic series figure came with a poster as well as a collectors card on the back of the package. There has been lots written about possible variants of figures and it is very difficult to prove what is and isn't a variant. Were they genuine variants or colour damage or simply mistakes in one individual figure that blew up into a variant? I have made an attempt to use the resources on the internet to try and show 'established' variants whilst offering other theories too.

Series 1 - 1984

The first release of this series saw the figures come with plastic stands. In terms of variants, the JYD figure came with one of three different coloured dog chains - black, red and grey. The Piper figure had a variation of boot colour, with one with red boots and one with darker red boots. There was also a variation in his kilt. Finally, a lot has been written about possible variations in the colour of the Iron Sheik's patterns on his tight - some people state that some figures had yellow patterns and some orange patterns.

The June/July 1985 WWF Magazine ran an article by LJN about the first series of LJN figures. The images can be seen below:

The figures were advertised in magazines and available from LJN directly through mail order:

Andre the Giant

Hillbilly Jim

Hulk Hogan

Iron Sheik

Junkyard Dog

Roddy Piper

Jimmy Snuka

Big John Studd

Nikolai Volkoff

Need: Roddy Piper with maroon boots

Need: Iron Sheik with yellow design

Duplicate: JYD with black chain

Duplicate: JYD with red chain

Series 2 - 1985

The second series was much smaller. There have been plenty of rumours about possible variants included a painted-on hair Steele and different hair colours and belly buttons on the Greg Valentine figure. Some collectors don't consider these to true variants. These figures, as well as those from Series 1, and the soon to be released short-hair Andre were advertised in the 1986 LJN Toy Catalogue:

Brutus Beefcake

King Kong Bundy

George Steele

Greg Valentine

Paul Orndorff

Need: Andre the Giant short hair

Series 3 - 1986

17 figures were released in this series. More importantly, this series had some of the most famous variants. SD Jones had an hawaiian shirt and red shirt variant. Bobby Heenan came with and without scrolls on his arms. Jesse Ventura came with a blonde and brown moustache. Jimmy Hart cam with and without harts on his megaphone. Corporal Kirschner came clean shaven or with a beard, with some saying that there was a third variant with stubble. Captain Lou Albano came with red and white lapels on the image of himself on his t-shirt. Gene Okerlund came with and without WWF logos on his microphone. Tito Santana came in both white and purple versions.

Some of these figures were promoted in the catalogue page which can be found attached to series 4 below.

SD Jones

Bruno Sammartino

British Bulldog

Don Muraco

Dynamite Kid

Freddie Blassie

Bobby Heenan

Jesse Ventura

Mene Gene Okerlund

Lou Albano

Need: Lou Albano white lapels

Randy Savage

Ricky Steamboat

Terry Funk

Jimmy Hart

Need: Jimmy Hart no harts

Corporal Kirchner

Need: Corporal Kirchner beard

Tito Santana

Need: Gene Overland logos

Series 4 - 1987

Series 4 was another big set with a further 18 releases. Variants this time included Elizabeth with two different coloured skirts and the Hart Foundation with both pink and purple tights. This series also included the first animals in the set with Koko B Ware coming with Frankie and Jake Roberts coming with Damien.

The advert below shows some unreleased prototypes, including Adrian Adonis with a robe on and Koko B Ware with blue trunks:

Adrian Adonis

Ted Arcidi

Billy Jack Haynes

B Brian Blair

Bob Orton

Bret Hart

Jim Brunzell

Hercules

Jake Roberts

Jim Neidhart

Kamala

Ken Patera

Koko B Ware

Mr Fuji

Outback Jack

Vince McMahon

Need: Miss Elizabeth

Need: Harley Race

Need: Jim Neidhart pink

Need: Bret Hart pink

Need: Brian Blair pale

Need: Jim Brunzell pale

Series 5 - 1988

This would be the last set produced by LJN as Grand Toys took over production of the 6th and final series. In terms of variants the referee came in both white and blue shirts and Hogan came with a red or white shirt. Tito Santana was a repaint of the series 3 figure, but this time in white.

Series 4 and 5 were advertised as available by mail order in the 'Apter' magazines as seen in the advert below:

Bam Bam Bigelow

Honky Tonk Man

Hulk Hogan

Jim Duggan

Johnny V

One Man Gang

Rick Martel

Slick

Referee

Need: Referee

Need: Tito Santana

Need: Ax

Need: Ted Dibiase

Need: Hulk Hogan

Series 6 - 1989

In 1989 LJN went out of business, and Grand Toys, a Canadian toy company, took over the production of the last series. These figures were only available through mail order through an ad in the 'Apter' mags - PWI etc and in Canadian retail stores. An example of the ad can be seen below:

This set saw six original figures being released and a series or re-releases of old figures. Some have suggested that this was because Grand Toys inherited large supplies of previously released figures which they were trying to shift. This was also the only series produced on black carding.

Need: Andre the Giant

Need: Big Bossman

Need: Haku

Need: Rick Rude

Need: Warlord

Need: Ultimate Warrior

Duplicate: Adrian Adonis

Duplicate: Ax

Duplicate: Brutus Beefcake

Duplicate: Big John Studd

Duplicate: Honky Tonk Man

Duplicate: Hulk Hogan

Duplicate: Jake Roberts

Duplicate: Jim Duggan

Duplicate: Randy Savage

Duplicate: Ted Dibiase

Tag Teams

Duplicates: British Bulldogs

Duplicates: Dream Team

Duplicates: Hart Foundation

Duplicates: Hillbilly Jim and Hulk Hogan

Duplicates: Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff

Duplicates: Killer Bees

Duplicates: Strike Force

Value Packs

Duplicates: Hercules and Billy Jack Haynes

Duplicates: Hillbilly Jim and Honky Tonk Man

Duplicates: Adrian Adonis and Corporal Kirchner

Duplicates: Adrian Adonis and Vince McMahon

Unproduced prototypes

As with all figure series, sometimes figures appear in adverts but when they are released they are different to the original pictures. In the case of the LJN line this went as far as the backing to figures. Below is an image of the back of an LJN figure. You can see the following figures that were never released in the style they were shown here: